Referee Craig Ochoa, center, meets with other replacement officials before the Hall of Fame preseason game between the Cardinals and Saints on Aug. 5 in Canton, Ohio.

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"Probably on a junior high or pee-wee football field," said former NFL official Tim Millis, 68, executive director of the NFL Referees Association.

The replacement officials making the calls this season got accelerated entry into the NFL. For the locked-out regulars, there were no shortcuts.

After his linebacker-fullback days at Millsaps College in Mississippi, Millis said, the first game he officiated probably was a junior high spring game. He said NFL officials typically spent five to 10 years doing high schools and five to 10 years doing colleges, with about five of those at the top level.

When he started officiating in the NFL in 1989, Millis said, newcomers usually were in their early to mid-40s. Because of the availability of clinics and training, it skews a bit younger now, he said, adding that some new officials are in their mid-30s if they're on a really fast pace.

The roster of regular NFL officials includes the Paganelli brothers (Carl, Dino and Perry), the Steratore brothers (Gene and Tony) and the Bergman brothers (Jeff and Jerry). All are sons of officials.

More typically, others might get hooked via officiating classes that are part of physical education curricula in colleges.

"A college kid can go out and work a couple of junior high games and pick up $30, $40, $50," Millis said.

If they like it, they're good at it and their post-graduate job allows, they might move into the high schools. "After that, you've not only got to be good, you've got to be a little lucky to be in the right place at the right time. Somebody looks at you and wants you to work maybe a junior college scrimmage. And it just goes on," he said.

College conferences and the NFL scout potential officials, just like players. When he was the Big 12 Conference's supervisor of officials, Millis said, he had about eight scouts. If a newcomer was good enough, he or she might have started out on a non-conference game or two.

"In a year or two, assuming everything goes well, they'd be with the conference as a regular, getting 10 or 12 ballgames," Millis said.

The NFL screening process includes a physical, a psychological evaluation and input from the college conference. And when hired they're graded on every play by the league -- and by fans. Millis said he had an edge when it came to hostile fans

"My first job I worked with the criminal division of IRS," he said. "So I got used to (the boos). Nobody agrees with NFL officials or the IRS."